I closed my eyes, focusing on the drain pulsing through . Noel’s Essentia felt different than the others - colder, sharper, with unexpected depths. I pulled on that energy, letting it fill my limbs as I opened my eyes.
The world seed to slow down. My perception heightened, details jumping into focus that I hadn’t noticed before. The slight glint of sunlight off tal in a third-floor window. The pattern of shadows across the battlefield. The minuscule shifts in air current that might indicate an energy weapon charging.
I didn’t know what this was. So side effect of draining Noel? A new ability manifesting? Whatever it was, I wasn’t going to waste it.
I sprinted toward the flag, moving in an unpredictable zigzag pattern. A blast of energy scorched the ground where I’d been a second earlier. Vince had taken the bait.
Another shot, another near miss. I was getting closer to the flag with each dodge. Vince’s firing rate was impressive but predictable - three seconds between shots while his weapon recharged.
I counted in my head. Three. Two. One.
The next shot ca right on schedule, and I was already moving in the opposite direction. The energy blast hit a concrete barrier instead, sending fragnts flying.
Two more bounds and I reached the flag. I grabbed it and imdiately dropped into a roll as another shot passed overhead. Now I just needed to get back to our starting position.
Noel’s astral form suddenly appeared in front of , pointing urgently toward the sky. I looked up just in ti to see sothing falling - a small device tumbling through the air.
"Grenade!" I shouted, throwing myself sideways.
The device hit the ground and exploded not with fire but with a burst of blinding light and high-frequency sound. A stun grenade. My vision went white and my ears rang painfully.
Through the disorientation, I felt sothing hit from behind - Vince, tackling to the ground. The flag flew from my grasp, landing several feet away.
"Got you now, showoff," Vince growled, trying to pin my arms.
My vision was returning in patches, my enhanced perception fighting through the stun effect faster than normal. I could make out Vince’s blurry form above , and beyond him, Noel’s astral self hovering anxiously.
I flexed my Rubber Body, stretching my arms to twice their normal length and breaking Vince’s hold. His eyes widened in shock as my elastic limbs wrapped around his torso, lifting him bodily off .
"What the hell are you?" he demanded.
"Just adaptable." I set him down none too gently and rolled to my feet. "Stay down if you know what’s good for you."
Vince didn’t listen. He ca at again, this ti with so kind of electrical device in his palm. I sidestepped, grabbed his wrist, and twisted. The device clattered to the ground.
"Last warning," I said.
"Fuck you, D’Angelo." He swung at with his free hand.
I caught his fist easily, feeling the drain activate without my conscious control. My hand glowed faintly where it touched his skin, and Vince’s eyes widened in shock.
"What... what are you doing to ?" His voice ca out slurred, his knees buckling.
I released him imdiately, but it was too late. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Shit. That wasn’t supposed to happen.
Noel’s astral form was staring at , her translucent eyes wide with what looked like horror. She’d seen everything - the drain activating, Vince collapsing. More evidence for whatever file she was building on .
I grabbed the flag and ran, not looking back. Usagi was still guarding Noel’s physical form behind the concrete barrier, her gauntlets raised defensively.
"What happened?" she asked. "I heard shouting."
"Vince is down. We’ve got the flag. Let’s finish this."
I ran past her toward our starting position, flag clutched tightly. The horn blared, signaling the end of the match.
"Team Two wins!" Reeves announced.
Students cheered from the sidelines, but I couldn’t focus on the victory. My mind was racing with questions. What had happened with Vince? I’d never knocked soone unconscious with the drain before. And that heightened perception when I pulled on Noel’s Essentia - what was that about?
Noel’s astral form returned to her body, and she sat up with a sharp gasp. Her eyes imdiately found mine, burning with accusation.
"What did you do to Vince?" she demanded quietly.
"Nothing intentional." I kept my voice low. "The drain activated on its own."
"You knocked him out with a touch!"
"I didn’t an to."
"That’s worse!" She stood, brushing dust from her uniform. "You can’t control it?"
"Usually I can. This was... different."
dical staff were attending to Vince, who was already stirring back to consciousness. That was sothing at least. I hadn’t permanently damaged him.
Usagi looked between us, confusion clear on her face. "What are you two talking about? What drain?"
"Nothing," Noel and I said in unison.
"Team Two, report for debriefing," Reeves called.
Noel stord ahead without waiting for us. Usagi gave a worried look.
"Is she okay?"
"She’ll be fine. Just upset about so tactical decisions."
"And Vince? What happened to him?"
I forced a smile. "Overexertion. Happens in high-stress matches."
Usagi didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t press further. We followed Noel to the debriefing area where Reeves was waiting with a tablet, reviewing match footage.
"Interesting performance, Team Two," Reeves said, her ruby eyes lingering on . "Particularly you, Mr. D’Angelo. That was quite a display of... adaptation."
"Thank you, Professor."
"Though I’m curious about what happened with Mr. Chen." She tapped her tablet, bringing up footage of my hand glowing where it touched Vince’s skin. "Care to explain this?"
"Energy absorption," I said smoothly. "Part of my adaptive response. Still learning to control the output."
"I see." Reeves made a note. "And the other abilities you displayed? The elasticity? The enhanced perception?"
"All registered under my adaptive-type classification."
"Hmm." She didn’t sound convinced. "Well, regardless of the thods, your team secured victory. You’ll face Team One in the finals tomorrow at 2 PM."
Noel’s shoulders stiffened. "Professor, I’d like to request a team reassignnt before tomorrow’s match."
Reeves raised an eyebrow. "On what grounds, Ms. Stark?"
"Incompatible tactical approaches."
"You seed to work together quite effectively today."
"That was before..." Noel glanced at , then back at Reeves. "Before certain information ca to light."
"I’m afraid team assignnts are fixed for the duration of the trials," Reeves replied. "Whatever personal issues exist between you and Mr. D’Angelo will need to be resolved before tomorrow’s match."
Noel’s mouth thinned into a tight line. "Yes, Professor."
"Dismissed." Reeves turned away, but not before giving a look that clearly said we would be discussing this further.
Noel stord off toward the locker rooms without another word. Usagi hesitated, then followed after her, shooting an apologetic look over her shoulder.
I stayed behind, waiting until everyone else had left.
"Professor," I called.
Reeves turned back. "Mr. D’Angelo."
"About your research proposal..."
"Yes?" Her eyes glead with interest.
"I’m in. When do we start?"
A smile curved her lips. "Tomorrow evening. My private lab. Seven o’clock."
"I’ll be there."
As I walked away, my phone buzzed with an incoming call. I checked the screen and froze.
Vivian Angelo.
My sister. The one who’d called over the weekend about the convenience store footage. The one who’d told to contact her after classes today.
I’d completely forgotten.
I answered the call, bracing myself. "Vivian."
"Ro Ro." Her voice was honey-sweet with an edge of steel underneath. "You were supposed to call hours ago."
"Got caught up in the semifinals."
"Did you win?"
"We did."
"Good boy." The praise made my skin crawl. "Now about our arrangent..."
"What arrangent?"
"Don’t play dumb, little brother. I covered for you with Father. Told him your abilities were perfectly normal adaptive-type manifestations. Even got the lawyers to smooth things over with the NEA."
"Thanks for that."
"I didn’t do it for free." Her voice hardened. "I want to see what you can really do. All of it. Not just the public exhibition version."
I closed my eyes, feeling a headache building behind them. "Vivian, now isn’t a good ti-"
"Tomorrow. After your finals match. My car will pick you up."
"I have plans."
"Cancel them." It wasn’t a request. "Or perhaps I should tell Father that your registration might need closer examination? The NEA has fascinating thods for testing unusual ability signatures."
Blackmail. Perfect.
"Fine," I said. "Tomorrow after the finals."
"Wonderful!" Her tone brightened instantly. "Wear sothing nice, Ro Ro. We have so much catching up to do."
She hung up before I could respond.
I leaned against the wall, suddenly exhausted. The semifinals win should have felt like a triumph. Instead, I was juggling more complications than ever: Noel’s discovery of my drain ability, Reeves’s "research" proposal, Vivian’s blackmail, and still no real progress with Aurora.
My phone buzzed again with a text from ra.
ra: hurry up, we’re waiting
ra: cheon made dinner
ra: and I have dessert
I smiled despite everything. At least I had sothing to look forward to tonight.
Ro: on my way
Ro: had to knock a guy out by accident
ra: lol what
Ro: tell you when I get there
Ro: save so food
ra: can’t promise anything about the food
ra: but there will definitely be dessert
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